River chant (Yangtze River Xiajiang chant)

Name of China's national intangible cultural heritage: Jianghe Haozi

Applicant: Badong County, Hubei Province

Item No.: 597

Project No.: Ⅱ - 98

Time of publication: 2008 (second batch)

Category: Traditional Music

Region: Hubei Province

Type: new item

Applicant: Badong County, Hubei Province

Protection unit: Badong County Cultural Center

Brief introduction of Jianghe Haozi (Xiajiang Haozi of Yangtze River)

Applicant: Badong County, Hubei Province

River songs refer to all kinds of songs sung by boatmen on the Yangtze River, Yellow River and its tributaries. It is very difficult to sail in the section with large water bend and complex landform, so boatmen can only pull the boat forward. The boatman's number was also enriched. According to the different sailing States, river bugles can be divided into several types, including the relaxed "launch" and the relaxed "Pingshui", as well as the highly nervous "Shangshui" and "desperate".

A section of the Three Gorges of the Yangtze River is commonly known as "Xiajiang", among which Xiling Gorge is the most dangerous, and the section of Xiling Gorge flowing through Zigui is the most dangerous. Here, the river is narrow, the water is turbulent, and hidden reefs and dangerous shoals are everywhere. For more than two thousand years, the boatman of Bachu has been working and living here, and formed a boatman's number to express his mind. In Hubei folk songs, Xiajiang folk songs are the most characteristic and representative. There are 126 songs in Xiajiang of the Yangtze River, among which 94 are boatman songs, including nine kinds of songs, such as towing, boating, pushing, fiber pulling, fiber collecting, sailing, rowing, wind calling, Adagio, and 32 songs are carrying songs, including cabin lifting, cabin leaving, lot issuing, flower bag stepping, heavy lifting, lead pulling, springboard climbing, road leveling, uphill, downhill, car shaking and counting.

Xiajiang chant of the Yangtze River is characterized by high pitched, vigorous and powerful. The melody of music is integrated with the content, and the tone is mostly combined with the tone of language. Its tune is free to stretch, and the rhythm and speed depend on the specific way of life, that is, the labor of singing. Most of Xiajiang's chants are characterized by "tune melody" and "rhyme melody", with the ancient style of Zhengyu music. Most of its forms are leading the crowd, and the singer has a set of songs suitable for all kinds of sailing. Sometimes, according to the specific situation and needs, he will improvise a few "jargon" of sailing to direct labor, such as shouting "live anchor number" before sailing, humming "rowing number" when the water is flat, and calling "canopies number" when the wind is downwind, etc. For a long time, Xiajiang chants have been carried on among Xiajiang boatmen.

Xiajiang chant of the Yangtze River is a life movement created by the working masses. It has become the most cohesive and symbolic cultural symbol in Xiajiang Area, showing its unique research value in folklore, music history and local history and culture. At present, due to the change of means of transportation and mode of labor, and the impoundment of the Three Gorges Dam, the Xiajiang Haozi of the Yangtze River has gradually lost its practicability. Its development is stagnant and there is no successor. It is in urgent need of rescue and protection.